


It's A Surprise

by rexisnotyourwriter



Series: Before the Flood [7]
Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Birthday, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-05-04 11:48:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5333027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rexisnotyourwriter/pseuds/rexisnotyourwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec Hardy and his daughter prepare a surprise for Tess' birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's A Surprise

Alec treated Tess to a morning of pampering at the spa pampered, which gave Daisy and him time to prepare the surprise picnic they had planned for Tess’ birthday. It was Daisy’s idea.

As soon as Tess had left, Daisy ran to grab the step stool and brought it over to the kitchen island. Her little feet glided on the hard floor as she slid from one room to the other. She had gotten those socks for her last birthday; they were fuzzy and looked like frogs with eyes on the toes.

Alec smiled to himself as he watched her giggle and slide her way to the kitchen.  He still couldn’t believe how fast the past six years had gone by.

He followed her into the kitchen and grabbed the bread, peanut butter, and jam and placed them on the counter. He dug through the drawer for the dullest spreading knife he could find and handed it to Daisy.

"Be careful," he told her.

She tilted her head and gave him the same look Tess did when he told her to drive carefully.  He knew he could be a bit overprotective, but how could he not be?

He scooped jelly onto one slice and she put peanut butter on the other.  When both halves were ready, she’d plop them together for him to cut into triangles.

She hadn’t even finished covering one slice of bread before her fingers were covered in peanut butter. He leaned over and removed a glob that stuck out in the midst of her light coloured hair. His hair was as light as hers when he was that age, but it had darkened over time.

Once he had cut them into triangles, he let her arrange them how she wanted on the plate before wrapping them up. She made them into a star and was quite proud of it.

"Why don’t you go pick out some drinks for us, okay?"

She jumped down from her step stool and ran over to the fridge. She stared at it for a while before gathering an armful of juice boxes and two bottles of beer, one in each hand. It was quite a sight.

"Whoa there.  I think we’re good with just the juice, alright?"

"You don’t want your adult juice?"

He couldn’t help but laugh. That’s what they had affectionately referred to alcohol as when she was around.

"No, not today, darling."

She went and put them back in the fridge in exchange for two more juice boxes as he finished cutting up the vegetables. He looked at the time.

"Go and get your shoes on, we gotta go soon," he said as he quickly packaged up the rest of the food into the basket.

They had to make one stop before picking up Tess - her favourite bakery. He had ordered her favourite cupcakes: vanilla with raspberry icing and white chocolate flakes.

Daisy wanted to “pay” for them, so he slipped her some bills.  She reached up and put them on the counter.  He helped her gather the change up in her hands, which she gave right back to him.

She looked so proud. So did he.

Tess was waiting outside the spa when they pulled up.

"Have a good time?" he asked as she got in the car.

Tess looked at him and smiled. She reached over and placed her hand on his and gave it a squeeze.

"It was wonderful.  Much needed. Thank you, dear."

She leaned over and gave him a kiss.  Daisy smiled and scrunched up her face.  

He pulled out of the parking lot and they made their way to their destination. It didn’t take long for Tess to catch on.

"Where are we going?" she asked.  

They weren’t on their usual route home.

Alec looked at Daisy in the rear mirror.  They smiled at each other.

"It’s a surprise," she said with a mischievous grin.

They pulled up to the park and got out.  Alec carried the picnic basket, which was a bit too heavy for Daisy; she grabbed the blanket.  

Tess looked so pleased. She let Daisy pick the spot where they would go. After carefully squinting at her options, she decided on a flat spot near the shade of a large tree on the top of a hill.

Daisy took each item out of the basket with excitement and told Tess how she had made it all, with Dad’s help, how it was her idea, and that she even paid for dessert (which was a surprise, so she couldn’t tell her about it yet).

Alec and Tess shared a glance and a laugh as Daisy went on proudly about her orchestration of the whole thing.

"Happy Birthday, Tess," he said winding his fingers with hers.

 


End file.
